Our First... 4
Our First Seperation…
Rated: R (for blood, little gore and suggestive sexual situations)
**PLEASE READ** Author’s Note: First off, I’m so sorry this chapter took so long to finish. I also want to say that this chapter contains things that some readers may find disturbing, so I do apologize if it grosses anyone out, use discretion etc etc.. This chapter is 1 year and some months after Chapter 3. Also, I named an alcoholic drink, Moogle bomb, just think of it being something like a Jägerbomb.
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Monday
Vanille was at the stables helping to tend the chocobos and sheep’s when Fang and several other hunters made their return to the village after a long days work in the fields. Each of them were hauling either meat, bone or hide from their quarry, which, judging by the quantity and color of the hide, Vanille guessed it was Behemoth. She waved and smiled as they approached the stables. A sudden pang of jealousy hit her when she saw Nira was with them, and chatting with Fang no less. Her scowl didn’t go unnoticed and both of the older women chuckled at the sight.
Nira was glad that the two girls had finally hooked up, even she herself had a new love interest now. “Fang, your girl is starring so hard at us, I’m afraid we may catch fire if she keeps that up.”
“She is getting pretty good with magics.” Fang laughed and tossed a sweat smile at Vanille, which earned her a huff and the view of the girls back as she went back to tending a small lamb. She chuckled to herself and helped to store away their items, everyone would eat well for the next few weeks at least.
Fang returned to the stables to find Vanille. She caught sight of her standing next to an adult chocobo, which was easily twice her height, her hands giving its side and chest a massage. The lucky creature looked to be in bliss, and Vanilles previous scowl was replaced with serenity. Fang, with a smile on her face, quietly snuck up behind the girl, gently wrapping her arms around her abdomen to pull her into a tight hug.
Vanille squeaked in surprise, and had planned on resisting to make a fuss at Fang for earlier, but the embrace was far too welcoming to break. Instead she opted to lean herself back into Fang, her eyes closing. “I missed you today.”
“Missed me? All I’m good for is making you angry.” Fang laughed when she received a pinch to the arm. “Pinching isn’t nice you know.”
Vanille shook her head. “I did miss you, it’s so boring when you’re not around. Then seeing you with Nira just…” Fang placed a finger gently against her lips to silence her. Then moving to make Vanille face her, holding either arm in her hands at arms length.
“Vanille, Nira has someone dear in her life now, in fact that’s all she talked about during the entire hunt. I want you to understand, I no longer have feelings towards her. Nor will I ever again. So long as I’m with you, there is no other for me… What’s with that face?”
Vanille had tears in her eyes, she hadn’t noticed them herself and shoved her face into Fangs chest. “You ok?” She stroked her head with one hand while the other stroked her back, trying to sooth her.
“I’m fine.” Her voice crackled slightly as she spoke. She lifted her head to stare Fang in the eyes. “You really feel that way towards me?”
Fang smiled softly at her, a faint blush claiming her own face. “Of course I do. I love you, Vanille, with every fiber of my being.” Vanilles face instantly became flushed and would have buried herself back into Fangs chest had it not of been for the hand lifting her chin up. Sure they’d kissed a lot over the course of their relationship thus far, but this felt so much more romantic to Vanille than any moment before. Her lids slid shut as their lips met in a tender kiss.
The short moment felt like an eternity, and Vanille could feel Fang was becoming anxious. The shaking of the hands that grasped at her hips, the way their kiss had turned into a heated exchange of tongues rolling over each other. Even she felt the intensity and had it of gone farther she would not have denied Fang anything. But, it all ended nearly as quickly as it began as Fang broke away, turning her face to the side. Both clearly out of breath.
“Fang…” Vanille managed to huff her name between breaths.
Fang shook her head, her breathing nearly back to a normal rhythm. “No, I’m sticking to what I said.. Not until after your hunt. I just feel that’s the right thing to do.”
Vanille giggled to herself and placed a kiss on Fangs cheek. “I know, and thank you. Your stubbornness amazes me though.” She hugged Fang tighter, ‘that’s right‘, Vanille remembered that within mere days, she would embark on her solo hunt to gain passage into adulthood. If she was lucky it would take no more than a week, but it had been known to take months for some. Entirely alone in the wild, only having her own skills and wits to rely on.
Fang could feel how Vanilles mood shifted, she knew the girl was nervous about her hunt, because she’d experienced the same trial herself. Fang had been very lucky on her hunt, as the wolf she had slain was actually hunting her after only two days from her departure of Oerba. It had ambushed her, but she came out as the victor in the end.
She knew there were no words she could offer to help Vanille prepare, and to offer to help the girl would have been highly offensive. It would almost be as if Fang was calling Vanille too weak for the task, when she knew well enough the she, while small and frail looking, was actually quite strong and could do anything she set her mind to. So instead of trying to say things that wouldn’t matter, she chose to hold Vanille, and support her while they still had time.
It took several minutes for Vanille to realize that they were still standing in the stables and that it was already dark out. She gently pulled herself from Fangs embrace, wiping the tears in her eyes away and shivering at the sudden chill in the air. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice how late it was.”
Fang gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her head. “Don’t apologize. I’m here for you when you need me, no matter what.” The mid-fall weather didn’t go unnoticed to Fang. “We should get back to the orphanage, don’t want an ear full from Matron.” Vanille nodded. They walked closely together, Fang with an arm wrapped around Vanilles shoulders and she with one around Fangs waist.
A late meal was shared between the two and then they retired to bed shortly after. Vanille would have restless nights for the next few days, her hunt weighing heavily on her mind. Fang would do what she could to comfort her.
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Friday
The day had finally arrived for Vanille to leave Oerba and make a successful hunt, alone. The girl was awake before even the sun shared it’s light. Carefully packing everything she should need on her venture. She felt calm in comparison to the previous days leading up to this one, a sense of determination set clearly in her mind. She made her way to the kitchen to prepare small snacks that, if consumed sparingly, would last her several days at least, saving her the trouble of hunting and gathering food.
Fang woke when the sun shared its first rays of light into her eyes. A low groan escaping her throat. She stretched her arms, one reaching over to Vanilles side of the bed. She felt awake immediately upon noticing that she was not there. “Vanille?!” ‘She wouldn’t leave without waking me, right?!’ Fang rushed out of the bedroom clothed in nothing but her black undergarments. She checked the bathrooms first, and then to the foyer. She caught the scent of cooking food and hurried to the kitchen, a deep sigh of relief calmed her from the sight of Vanille prepping food.
Vanille jumped and squeaked slightly from the feel of arms suddenly wrapping around her waist. “Found you.”
“Fang! Don’t sneak up on me like that…. Ah! It’s ruined….” Vanille held up the sandwich she was making, a mound of salt poured over the mayonnaise on one piece. She chucked it into the garbage with a sigh.
“Hey! I could have eaten that, it looked perfectly fine to me.”
“Fang, that’s disgusting, eating that much salt can’t be good for you.” Fang chuckled and nuzzled Vanilles head. While she didn’t mind the distraction, having Fang clinging to her this way was making it difficult to finish making her foods. The older girl could tell she was in the way so after placing a gentle kiss atop Vanilles head she released her hold and stepped to the side to watch. Vanille tossed a glance at her. “Fang! You’re half naked you know.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that fact. I actually thought you left without waking me, so I kind of skipped the dressing part so I could find you.” Vanille had packed the last of her food items then turned to Fang, hands on her hips.
“And what would you have done if I had left, chase me through the streets like that?” She raised an eyebrow.
Fang scratched the back of her head, shrugging it off with a chuckle, causing Vanille to sigh. “So uh, how’s your packing coming along?” Vanille placed a finger under her chin as she ran through the checklist in her head, humming as she did so.
“Hmm. I should have everything set now. Just need to get it all together in one place.” Fang nodded and headed towards the hallway.
“I’ll be right back Vanille.” She watched Fangs back disappear behind a corner, her head tilted to the side slightly. She picked up the small satchel that was now filled with her food and brought it to the foyer, carefully packing it into the larger bag that held everything else. She double checked everything, nothing was out of place. She strapped her old Bind Rod to her belt and leaned against the wall, waiting for Fang to return.
It wasn’t a minute later that the older girl came back with a large box in hand, which Vanille eyed curiously. “Here, consider it an early birthday present.” She set the box on the ground in front of Vanille.
“You really didn’t have to get me anything you know.” She bent down to start picking at the ropes that held it shut.
“I figured you’d say that. But I think you’ll find it useful on your hunt.” Fang waited in anticipation while Vanille plucked off the last few ropes. She could see how the girls hands stopped mid motion, fingers twitching slightly when she finally saw what was inside, her green eyes wide with awe.
“Fang… This is…” Vanille was blown away by the white bind rod that rest in the box. Carefully reaching in and pulling it out, it was a bit heavier than her old one, but light enough to wield. It was folded into a compact form, which only took her a moment to figure out how to open it. The tanned leather straps that wrapped the handle felt smooth under hand, and the white finish with four gold tipped hooks amazed her. She had no words to express her gratitude, sure she’d known her old one was worn and probably wouldn’t last much longer, but to receive one of this caliber was unexpected.
Vanille finally shook out of her daze and stood up to look Fang in the face. “How in the world did you afford something like this?”
Fang grinned at her. “I’ve been saving up for a while. Hunts can bring a good income you know. I knew you needed a new one, and I wouldn’t have felt okay with letting you leave with a weapon that may break while you’re out there on your own. You do like it I hope?” She could see the water building in Vanilles emerald eyes.
Vanille all but leapt at Fang, hugging the taller girl tightly. “I love it. Thank you.” Fang smiled softly, returning the embrace.
They could have stood there all day just holding each other, but the sound of the clock striking 9am broke the moment. It was time for her to go, waiting later would mean less day light to travel by. Vanille slowly backed out of the embrace and swapped her old rod for the new one, leaving the old one with Fang. She heaved her large bag onto her back, it was indeed heavy, but not so much that she couldn’t handle it.
“It’s time Fang.” Vanille felt anxious, but a firm squeeze by Fang on her shoulder eased her mind and she smiled at the taller girl. Fang handed Vanille a thick coat.
“Don’t forget that, it’s going to be getting colder soon.” Vanille nodded and rolled the furry leather, then had Fang tie it to the top of her backpack.
Fang escorted Vanille to the edge of Oerba, pulling the girl into a tight hug, which was returned in kind. Vanille stood on her toes to plant a firm, final kiss on Fangs lips, savoring the feel and taste. Then after pulling away, both shared a smile.
“See you later, Fang.”
“Mm. Have a safe trip. I’ll be waiting for you.” Fang gently gripped her arm, a faint blush on her face. “I love you, Vanille.” A blush rose to her cheeks as well.
“I love you too, Fang.” Vanille started slowly walking away backwards, her hand trailing down Fangs arm until finally their fingers slipped away from each other. A last smile, and Vanille turned, walking strongly into the wild, alone.
Fang continued to watch until she could no longer see her. A sigh escaped her lips as she stretched. “Well, guess I have my own work to do while your gone.” Fang chuckled to herself, she indeed had many things to do, only hoping that they would be finished in time for the girls return. One final look to the horizon that Vanille vanished into before turning away to set about doing her own tasks.
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3 Months later
Fang hissed as a needle repeatedly stabbed into her arm, black ink staining deeply into her skin. She had been debating on getting a tattoo for a while now, and had finally decided on a design and went for it. It hadn’t hurt too bad at first, but after sitting under the needle for over 2 hours now, the pain was becoming more intense.
“Hang in there a bit longer Fang, we’re just about finished.” Fang nodded, her eyes closing to calm herself. Her thoughts drifted to Vanille and the pain was forgotten. To say the least, she was worried about her, but she kept her thoughts positive, she knew she’d come back alright.
Another fifteen minutes went by and finally the tattoo was done. “There we go, all finished.” The man gently wiped the area clean of any stray ink or blood. Fang looked it over in a mirror.
“Looks great, thanks Jin.” He nodded and taped a white gauze over it.
“Keep that on there fer a day or two and make sure to keep it clean. It’s going to swell pretty good and scab a bit, but it’ll clear up within days.” Fang nodded and paid her fee. “You goin’ to work on that project o’ yours again today?”
“Yes, I’ll be going straight there.” She made her way to the door.
“Present for your girlfriend, Vanille, was it?”
“You could say that.”
“Heard she been gone on her hunt fer a good while now, you reckon she fairing well out there?” Fangs stopped in the doorway, turning her head to the side to respond.
“She may be small and look frail, but she’s got a strong will and good head on her shoulders, I have faith in her.” With that she bid him farewell and was on her way.
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Vanille climbed over a large fallen tree, the extra weight from her pack causing a heavier thud on landing than she’d like. It had taken nearly three months to find the target she’d been looking for and has been trailing her prey for over a week now, but it was always a step ahead of her. The tracks were getting fresher every day so it was only a matter of time. Time however was running out as the season was changing fast, she knew her target would soon go into hibernation and its trail would be lost.
The tracks today looked particularly fresh and oddly erratic as it changed directions constantly. A few more yards and she emerged from the forest into an open field with mountains towering high to her right. She lowered herself to the ground as she caught sight of movement by some boulders in the distance. She set her belongings down into a pile by the tree line and pulled out a small pair of binoculars, adjusting the sight until the creature was in focus, a sense of excitement rushed over her.
“There you are” she whispered to herself. She eyed the large brown bear, it was actually bigger than she’d thought it would be, probably a good 18-20 feet from nose to rear, definitely a behemoth of a bear. She put away the binoculars and pulled out a carving knife, attaching its case to her belt and latching it in. “I can do this.” She thought of Fang for a brief moment whilst psyching herself up, then began to slowly approach it.
Lucky for her, its head was down, digging at a hole in the ground for some prey. She grasped the handle of her bind rod, releasing it from its holster and flicking it to its full length. She managed to get within about 40 yards of the bear, then her luck ran out as the wind changed directions. Indeed the bear immediately caught a whiff of her scent and its head snapped up from the hole, its dark eyes glaring at her.
She stood still, gathering her thoughts for the brief moment she had before the bear made a charge at her, it was obviously intent on making her an easy meal. The distance between them was closing fast and Vanille jumped into action. She cast her rods lines at it, but they were evaded and the lines recoiled back to their default position. It was at 13 yards now and made a dead stop, rising up on its hind legs to display its full height, towering above her, and roared, but she did not back down.
She gave the bind rod a second shot, but this time its massive arms deflected the lines, again they retracted. She huffed and decided on a different approach.
“Fire!” She tossed a handful of firecrackers from her satchel to one side, her spell setting them ablaze and into a flurry of ear piercing explosions. It was enough to distract it for a split second, but it was all she needed. She hurled her lines at it once again, this time all four made contact, each wrapping tightly around the bear, hooks digging into flesh. One tying the legs together, and another on the arms, the third squeezed its torso while the fourth tightly kept its mouth closed.
It struggled for a moment, but the lines were strong and cut into it more deeply with every movement. She didn’t want to drag this out and make it painful, so she pulled the lines taught and with a strong tug the bear came down with a heavy thud. It whined in pain, Vanille felt a brief pang of guilt, but shoved the feeling aside. She had to do this. Cautiously she approached it, stopping by its massive head.
“I’m sorry.” She held her hand out over it. “Death!” There was a flash of blackness, a snap and then silence. Effectively putting it out of its misery in an instant. Her feeling of accomplishment was flooded by the tears that ran down her face as she knelt down hugged the beast.
“I’m so sorry. I thank you. Your death will not be in vain.” She was not happy to have the ability of Death, her current skill also required it be delivered at point blank to have any effect, which was not always successful.
She took a moment to calm herself, wiping the tears from her face as she set about to gutting the animal. Fang had taught her the process before, but actually performing it herself was difficult and took all she had to keep focus.
It took a while, but it was finally done. All of the entrails had been discarded, leaving nothing but hide, meat and bone. She wiped the sweat off her brow, looking back in the direction that would take her home. “At least this cold will keep its meat fresh until I get back to Oerba.” There were flakes of snow flitting about now, and it was beginning to get dark.
With the aide of a wind spell, she hauled the carcass into the forest and located a spot to make camp for the evening. At first light she would begin her trek back home. “Hmm, with all the zigzagging I did to get out here… it should only take a week if I make a straight shot back.” She examined her small map which she’d constantly updated with her position. She nodded to herself about her next course of action, then set up a fire to warm her camp.
Vanille helped herself to some meat from her quarry, it was a bit tough and had no seasonings, but it was edible and would provide vital energy.
The snow was coming down harder now. Vanille pulled her coat and blanket tightly around her, combined with the flame, she was kept warm well enough. “Fang…” was her final thought before falling into sleep.
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8 days later
Fang was awake early today, as she had promised to help tend the stables. It wasn’t exactly her job of choice, but it helped keep her mind busy, which recently was becoming more troubled over Vanille’s long absence.
She set down a small bale of hay and feed, then backed away as the hungry animals rushed in. She shivered at the biting breeze that rushed past her skin, she had chosen not to wear a coat out this morning, ‘great idea.’
She was about to set about her next task of cleaning the stalls when she’d heard a horn blowing, it was a sound she knew well. A custom of Oerbas was for the watchmen to signal the return of someone from their hunt with the horn of a Behemoth, it emitted a unique sound, deep, but smooth.
Fang made a bolt for the main entrance, ignoring the stinging cold. As she rounded the last building in her way she could see a small gathering of people already building up, all anxious to welcome the hunter home. None however were expecting the site they saw. As Fang excused herself past the others, stopping at the amazing spectacle.
Vanille took her final steps into the village, her clothes partially ripped in some places, dirt and dried blood splotched all over. She looked utterly exhausted as she was heaving for air, her mana completely tapped from using the wind spell to help the haul, and more amazing than anything was the beast of a bear that now rest on the ground behind her.
Had she of had the breath or energy she would have leapt into Fangs arms, but found all she could do was stand hunched over, hands resting on her knees as she struggled to keep herself upright, even a smile was hard to manage.
Fang calmly approached her, gently grasping her shoulders to help the girl stand straight. Her eyes giving her a quick examination, thankful that none of the blood on her body was her own. She wanted to keep her cool in front of all these people, but her emotions won out. She pulled Vanille into a tight hug, even her pride couldn’t hold back the tears in her eyes as she was just too happy to have Vanille back home.
“I was really worried about you, you know.” Vanille clutched at Fangs clothes, she could only manage a nod in reply, tears easily flowing from her own eyes. “I can’t believe you killed a fucking bear, of all things to pick, and at this time of year.” Vanille wanted to reply, but was having a hard time keeping her eyes open, the warmth emitting from Fang was all too comfortable.
“Vanille?” She’d passed out in her arms. The Shaman was close by and gave Vanille a quick look over, checking her vitals.
“Mm. Seems to be just exhaustion, it looks like she hasn‘t slept for a day or two. Her mana is completely spent as well, so an elixir when she wakes should do the trick.”
Fang looked down at the girl worried and nodded at the Shamans directions. “I’m going to take her home now, and get her warmed up.” She picked the girl up bridal style and carried her home. A few other villagers took care of the bears carcass, skinning it and carving the meat up. Tonight, Oerba would throw a party with a feast in honor of Vanilles successful hunt.
Fang got them home within minutes and opened the bedroom door. She was about to set Vanille onto the bed when the girl stirred and awoke in her arms. Her eyes were droopy and a little bloodshot. Vanille reached a hand up and cupped Fangs face. “Am I dreaming?” Fang smiled warmly at her.
“If you are, I hope you don’t wake up, because I don‘t want you leaving my side again.” Vanille giggle softly, and pinched Fangs cheek, slightly stretching her face out, then released it a moment later, to which Fang chuckled at. She went to lay her down again but Vanille stopped her.
“Wait! I’m filthy, I’ll dirty up the… bed? Wait, where are we?” Vanille finally noticed that they weren’t in their orphanage dorm but an actual bedroom with a large bed.
Fang chuckled and carried Vanille out into the living room. “This, would happen to be our new home. That is of course, if you think you can stand to live with someone like me.”
“Huh?!” Vanille felt wide awake suddenly and had Fang put her on her feet, she wobbled a little so Fang kept a hand firmly on her shoulder. “Okay, so.. You got a house? For us?”
Fang scratched the back of her head. “Well, I actually built this place from the ground up, with a little help of course. I wanted to surprise you with it when you returned… It’s not much, just this living space, the one bedroom and a bathroom. I hope you’re not mad I did this without asking you first.” She looked sheepishly at Vanille, the shorter girl just stared at her wide eyed.
Vanilles face softened and she hugged Fang. “I’m not mad, but I am a bit overwhelmed. It looks amazing, and you building it yourself is amazing.”
Fang laughed. “Sorry, I guess it is a bit to take in right now.” Vanille nodded and took to looking around the living area. “I’m going to go run you a warm bath, I love you, but you do reek something fierce.” She gave the girl a grin and disappeared in the bathroom.
Vanille was left to sigh over the state she was in, but she knew it was true, she smelled and felt filthy. She noticed her boots were still on, she’d have to get new ones, as these were trashed. She slipped them off, hissing as they rubbed the blisters on her feet, then placed them by the door to be discarded later.
She was examining the cupboards when Fang came back into the room. “Bath’s ready.” Fang showed her to the bathroom and handed her a toothbrush. “Figured you’d want this as well.” She took it gratefully and immediately went about brushing her teeth, ridding herself of any foul tastes.
“Ah, that’s much better.” She offered Fang a sleepy kiss which was returned in kind. She walked towards the tub and began to undress for her bath, then noticed how Fang was still standing in the open doorway, watching her. She tossed a scowl over her shoulder at the taller girl. “No peeking!”
Fang huffed and turned her back, holding her hands behind her head. “No fun at all.” Vanille made sure she wasn’t watching and finished undressing. Fang could hear her whimper while she was climbing into the hot water. “Not too hot is it?” She accidentally turned her head to the side and caught a glimpse of Vanilles rear, immediately turning back around to hide the blush on her face.
“No, it’s fine. It just stings my feet a little.” She let out a big sigh as her whole body submerged into the water. “Feels so good… I’d forgotten what a bath feels like. You can turn around now.” She closed her eyes as she dunked her head under the water once, then sat back up and leaned against the tub.
Fang turned and leaned against the doorframe, eyes scanning Vanilles face. “I put some herbs in there that should help heal any scratches you may have gotten and should relax your muscles as well.”
“Mm,” Vanille hummed in reply.
“You want some soup or something? Or just want to wait until the ceremony tonight? Still got a good 4 hours until then.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll wait. A nap sounds nice after this.”
“Alright. Well, while you finish up in there, I’m going to go tidy up the place.” There wasn’t really anything to clean, but Fang couldn’t keep standing there, watching her bathe. Vanille nodded and proceeded to clean herself.
Fang was relaxing on the sofa when Vanille came out, wearing nothing but a towel around her body. “Hey Fang, I don’t suppose you have any of my clothes around, would you?” Fang peered out of one closed one, fighting hard to hide a grin as she stared at the half nude girl.
“Ya, I brought all your clothes here from the orphanage, they’ll be in the bedroom closet, on the right side.” She watched Vanilles back until she disappeared into the bedroom. This was driving her crazy, but she wasn’t going to give in, ‘not yet.’
Fang gave her a few minutes, then peeked into the bedroom. “You find them?” Vanille walked out of the closet now fully clothed.
“Mhm. It feels nice to have clean clothes on.” Vanille plopped herself down onto the bed, eyeing Fang from her now horizontal position. She patted a spot next her. Fang looked thoughtful about the idea for a moment.
“Ah, one sec, I almost forgot.” Vanille pouted as Fang went back to the living room, but she returned within seconds. “Here, drink this before you sleep at least.” She handed her a vile of blue elixir. Vanille didn’t really enjoy the things, but recovering her mana was vital, so she accepted and drank it down with a disgusted face, like a kid taking medicine that was bitter.
“Bleh, they could at least fix how these things taste.” Fang chuckled and discarded the now empty vile. She then crawled herself onto the bed and was about to lay down next to Vanille when the girl screamed out.
“What the hell is that?!” Fang was looking around the room.
“Huh? What the hell is what?” Vanille poked her finger at Fangs shoulder, prodding the black mark.
“Ow, that would happen to still be sensitive, and it’s just a tattoo.” Vanille stopped poking at it and brought the arm close enough to examine the design.
“What made you want a tattoo?” Fang rested against her other arm against the bed while she thought about that, then shrugged.
“I just wanted one, and I liked the design. I did a lot of things to try and keep myself busy, because when I wasn’t busy I was thinking about you and driving myself insane really.” Vanille looked up at her, an apologetic look on her face.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to be gone for so long but…” Fang silenced her with a finger on her lips.
“You’re always so fast to go apologizing when you don’t need to. I know you did your best, and all that matters now is that you’re back home.” She pulled Vanille down next to her and kissed away a single tear that had ran down the girls cheek.
Vanille nuzzled into Fangs neck and placed a firm kiss over the pulse there. “I’m glad to be back home, with you Fang. It was really lonely out there, but you were always in my thoughts, so I stayed strong.” Her words were fading as sleep was lulling her in, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to fight it. “Fang…”
“Hmm?” She looked down to see Vanille had fallen asleep. A tender smile tugged on her lips, it was a relief to see her resting peacefully. She glanced to the clock, ‘she’ll get at least a 2 hour nap.’ She set an alarm on the clock with her free hand, as Vanille was using her other arm as a pillow now. Fang relaxed next to her once that was done, wrapping her arm around her and pulling their bodies closer, then closed her eyes and soon found herself falling into sleep as well.
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Fang awoke to the annoying buzz of the alarm clock, instantly silencing the machine. She wasn’t expecting to actually fall asleep. Vanille was usually a light sleeper, but the alarm didn’t make her budge. Fang almost felt guilty with the task of needing to wake the girl, but she couldn’t let her miss her own ceremony.
“Vanille..” her voice came out soft but loud enough. She got no reaction even after calling her name out a few more times. She tried shaking her at the shoulder, causing the girl to groan in protest. “Alright then…” Fang moistened her lips and started kissing all over Vanilles face.
“Cut it out Fang… we can play later...” She still wasn’t clearly awake, but she shoved a hand against Fangs face, pushing her away. Fang kept making the effort to wake her by poking and prodding her. Vanille finally got fed up with the antics and all but tackled Fang onto the bed, making the girls stomach into a seat, hands holding both arms down.
Fang was actually taken off guard by the move and was having a hard time recovering. Vanilles eyes were closing again and she head started to droop down as she started to fall asleep again. “Oh no you don’t!” Fang took advantage and gently flipped Vanille, effectively switching their positions. “Sorry hun, but you have got to get up, one way or the other.”
Vanille broke into an outburst of yelling and laughing when Fang started an onslaught of tickling. “Fang… stop… I’m up… already!” The tickling ceased and she caught her breath.
“Are you sure? Because I’d be happy to continue.” Vanille struggled beneath her, which didn’t help Fangs changing mood at all.
“No, please don’t. I’m really awake, ok?” Fang had became oddly quiet so Vanille looked her in the face. “Fang?” It felt like her stomach became knotted from the way Fang was looking at her, almost like she was going to attack her at any moment.
Fang clenched her teeth, this was hard. She didn’t know why so suddenly this feeling rose up in her, but it was proving difficult to get rid of it. She felt her body leaning forward without thinking. Her upper body now supported by her elbows that rest on either side of Vanille, their faces mere inches apart.
Vanille could feel Fangs breath on her face, she could also feel the heat rushing through her body. She could tell Fang was holding back, they both knew that right now wasn’t a good time for this. The moment felt like waiting for a ticking bomb to explode, but there was no bomb, instead, the irritating sound of the alarm went off, effectively shaking them both out of their daze.
Fang shook her head, cursing loudly as she got up and turned off the alarm. She headed for the doorway with a hand scratching the back of her head. “Sorry, Vanille.. We should get going soon.” Vanille watched as she disappeared into the bathroom and could here the faucet turn on, followed by the sound of splashing water. She felt a little disappointed but shook her thoughts and got up. They now only had a few minutes to make it to the central square for the final part in the process towards Vanilles adulthood, one she wasn’t particularly looking forward to.
Fang gave her a new pair of boots that she’d gotten for her, she accepted them with glee. Neither could make eye contact with the other, for the moment they both felt a little awkward, but even so they still held hands as they rushed along the streets.
They were a few minutes late but no one seemed to mind. There was a large bonfire in the middle, and a table filled with different foods not far away. The Shaman came to great them. Vanille and Fang shared a quick smile before the old man escorted her to see the Elder. Fang followed loosely behind, watching as everyone around danced and mingled.
The Elder silenced the party to deliver a speech, one which Fang paid no attention too, because he said pretty much the same thing about everyone upon successfully completing their hunt.
Vanille felt a little nervous with everyone’s eyes on her. Then finally when the Elder finished, Shaman approached her with a goblet, handing it to her slowly. This was the final act, the final step into adulthood, she hid her disgust as she looked at the red liquid within. It was the very blood that came from her own kill. She took a deep breath, and gulped it all down as quickly as she could. There was a lot of cheering from the crowd as she handed the empty goblet back to Shaman.
The Elder re-commenced the celebration and the loud music erupted back to life. Fang walked over to Vanille and patted the girls back. She could see the girl was fighting to keep down what she’d just drank.
“Here, try some of this, I remember it helped me when I had to do that.” Vanille happily took it without asking what it was. She filled her mouth with it before gulping it all down. “That get the taste out at least?”
Vanille nodded. “Thank you. That was just vile.”
Fang chuckled. “Yes, it’s definitely not an enjoyable ceremony, but at least it’s over now. How about we go get some food?”
“That sounds great, I’m starving.” She went to walk towards the buffet, but was held back and then pulled against Fang. The taller girl placed a firm kiss on her lips which she returned in kind. It was a quick, almost innocent kiss, and shortly after the two made their way to the buffet.
A while later, Fang gawked at her girlfriend as she finally finished eating. She had never seen the girl eat so much food in one sitting. “Not hungry are we?” Vanille patted her full stomach with a pleased smile.
“Not anymore, I did say I was starving didn’t I?” Fang chuckled.
The rest of the night wasn’t too eventful, the two had chatted with their friends, danced together and just had a good time. Vanille had just picked up her third glass of alcohol when Fang found her, then promptly snatched the glass away from her. “No more alcohol for you Missy.”
“Why not?! Not like I’m drunk.” She tried to snatch to glass back, but Fangs height gave her an advantage. She was pressing the whole of her body against Fang, standing on her toes as she tried to reach the glass that was held above her head. “Come ooooon Fang.” Vanille stumbled a little over her footing, causing one of her legs to press into Fangs crotch. This of course caught her off guard, she’d barely contained a grunt from the impact, but not enough to keep Vanille from hearing.
Vanille took advantage of the situation and snatched the glass back, quickly gulping down the contents. Fang sighed. “You’re going to be piss drunk by the end of the night if you keep drinking at this rate, or sick, or both.” Vanille set her glass down and came back to Fang, wrapping her arms around her neck and pulling them close together.
“I won’t. I’m not going to drink anymore, those do taste pretty good though.” Fangs arms were around her waist. Vanille was swaying to the slow song that was playing so she followed the girls movements, which were becoming a little uncoordinated.
“You drank three Moogle bombs over the past hour, I’m surprised you’re not tumbling around in a stupor by now.” Vanille just giggled into her chest, the effects of the alcohol were catching up to her as she stumbled more over the next few minutes. “Guess I spoke too soon.”
Vanille felt fuzzy headed, like falling into a hazy dream. She heard her name and lazily tilted her head up towards Fangs voice, it sounded unclear. She didn’t even notice herself grinning up at her girlfriend. She also didn’t notice her body moving on its own until she had her lips mashed onto Fangs. Her surroundings forgotten, and the fact that people were staring as her tongue demanded entry into Fangs mouth.
Fang was taken off guard with Vanilles intoxicated actions, but allowed herself to indulge in the heated kiss that was offered to her. It didn’t last long however, as she felt one of the girls legs sliding higher between her own, it was time to stop it. She gently shoved Vanille away at arms length, causing the shorter girl to emit a whining sound in her throat. Fang caught her breath a moment.
“Look Vanille, you’re drunk, and we shouldn’t be going that far, especially in public.”
“I ‘m not… drnk, and noooo ones.. watshing us.” She slurred in protest, but Fang kept her firmly at arms length while shaking her head. She pouted and crossed her arms. “Fne, I dn’t wan choo ‘ave sex anway.”
“Fine by me, I wouldn’t have when you’re drunk anyway.” This was starting to get comical in Fangs mind. “Look, it’s getting late, so how about we just head home.” Vanille looked thoughtful. “I’ll make some hot chocolate.” The shorter girl smiled brightly with a nod.
Fang excused them both from the party and they made their way back to their home. She unlocked the door and guided a stumbling Vanille in, trying to make sure the girl didn’t trip over her feet. After helping her to the sofa she went over to the kitchenette and started heating a pot of water. Vanille was leaning forward, using her arms as support as she swayed herself from side to side, a goofy smile on face.
While she was a little frustrated by the situation, Fang couldn’t help but be amused by Vanilles behavior, and she still maintained that cuteness she loved. She finished fixing the drinks and sat herself next to Vanille. “Be careful with this, it’s still a bit hot.” The girl had at least recovered enough of her wits to comprehend what she was told, and took the warm mug slowly.
Fang drank hers down quickly, while Vanille sipped hers slowly. Fang relaxed against the sofa and watched as her girlfriend finished the hot liquid. She licked her lips after the last drop and glanced over her shoulder at Fang. “Don’t want another one, do you?” She shook her head and set her mug on the table then sat back against Fang.
They sat there like that for a while, just enjoying the peaceful moment together. After a bit Vanille started to fidget. “Something wrong?” She started to get up and Fang watched as she wobbled a little on her feet.
“Bathroom.” She was still tipsy and was using the counter as support.
“Want some help?” Vanille shook her head.
“I can manage this much.” She found her way to the bathroom and shut the door.
Fang cleaned the dirty mugs and put them back in the cupboard. It had been a few minutes and Vanille hadn’t come out yet, so she walked to the door and gave a knock. “You alright in there?”
“I’m fine, I’ll be out in a minute.” Fang could hear the sink running as she walked to the closet. She removed her clothes down to her black undies, tossing the dirtied garments into a basket.
Vanille walked out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, and glanced around for Fang. “Fang?”
Fang walked out of the closet upon hearing her name. “Ya?” She noticed how Vanille was eyeing her at that moment as she sat herself down on one side of the bed. “Something wrong?” The growing blush on the girls face was a sight Fang had missed over the past months.
Vanille shook her head a bit faster than she should have, as it made her a little dizzy. “Nothing’s wrong, I think I did drink a little too much though.” She approached the bed side opposite of Fang and sat down.
“Well, have to learn your limits somehow I guess.” Vanille was glancing at Fang over her shoulder as she lectured her. The direction of her eyes didn’t go unnoticed.
“See something you like?” Vanille hadn’t even noticed herself staring and upon being caught she turned away again. Fang sighed softly and placed a gentle hand on the girls back, the initial contact had made the girl almost leap out of her skin with a squeak. “Relax Vanille.” She pulled the girl against her and could feel how her whole frame was shivering. “You’re way too tense right now.”
Vanille took a moment to calm herself down, she was working herself up unintentionally. She felt Fangs hands kneading and massaging at her shoulders, a sigh escaping her lips as she relaxed. “Sorry… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Always apologizing, really now. You‘ve got to be exhausted, that should be plenty reason to be off edge.” She was working her way lower down Vanilles back now, massaging at any knots along the way.
Vanille became silent and offered no more words to the conversation. Fang leant over to see her face. Vanilles eyes were closed, mouth open slightly with steady breaths. Fang silently chuckled to herself and slowly laid Vanille down, pulling the blanket over her. She placed a kiss on her forehead. “Night love.” She spoke softly enough to not wake her.
Vanille was half curled into a ball as Fang slid herself beneath the blankets, and upon feeling the warmth from Fang’s body she relaxed and snuggled against her. Fang wrapped an arm around her waist, fingers tracing whimsical patterns across the girls back, only stopping when she fell asleep.
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Author’s Note: Gawww!! Dangit, this was supposed to be the final chapter, but after getting near the 15 page mark, I decided I’m going to have to extend this into one final chapter, it probably won’t be but a few pages long (mostly smut content, so feel free to skip out on it if you have no interest in that, lol!). So ya.. I’ll try to have that out nice and quick like for those that have been anticipating such a chapter. XD I reread this once, so I apologize for any errors that I may have missed… Til next time~
Rated: R (for blood, little gore and suggestive sexual situations)
**PLEASE READ** Author’s Note: First off, I’m so sorry this chapter took so long to finish. I also want to say that this chapter contains things that some readers may find disturbing, so I do apologize if it grosses anyone out, use discretion etc etc.. This chapter is 1 year and some months after Chapter 3. Also, I named an alcoholic drink, Moogle bomb, just think of it being something like a Jägerbomb.
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Monday
Vanille was at the stables helping to tend the chocobos and sheep’s when Fang and several other hunters made their return to the village after a long days work in the fields. Each of them were hauling either meat, bone or hide from their quarry, which, judging by the quantity and color of the hide, Vanille guessed it was Behemoth. She waved and smiled as they approached the stables. A sudden pang of jealousy hit her when she saw Nira was with them, and chatting with Fang no less. Her scowl didn’t go unnoticed and both of the older women chuckled at the sight.
Nira was glad that the two girls had finally hooked up, even she herself had a new love interest now. “Fang, your girl is starring so hard at us, I’m afraid we may catch fire if she keeps that up.”
“She is getting pretty good with magics.” Fang laughed and tossed a sweat smile at Vanille, which earned her a huff and the view of the girls back as she went back to tending a small lamb. She chuckled to herself and helped to store away their items, everyone would eat well for the next few weeks at least.
Fang returned to the stables to find Vanille. She caught sight of her standing next to an adult chocobo, which was easily twice her height, her hands giving its side and chest a massage. The lucky creature looked to be in bliss, and Vanilles previous scowl was replaced with serenity. Fang, with a smile on her face, quietly snuck up behind the girl, gently wrapping her arms around her abdomen to pull her into a tight hug.
Vanille squeaked in surprise, and had planned on resisting to make a fuss at Fang for earlier, but the embrace was far too welcoming to break. Instead she opted to lean herself back into Fang, her eyes closing. “I missed you today.”
“Missed me? All I’m good for is making you angry.” Fang laughed when she received a pinch to the arm. “Pinching isn’t nice you know.”
Vanille shook her head. “I did miss you, it’s so boring when you’re not around. Then seeing you with Nira just…” Fang placed a finger gently against her lips to silence her. Then moving to make Vanille face her, holding either arm in her hands at arms length.
“Vanille, Nira has someone dear in her life now, in fact that’s all she talked about during the entire hunt. I want you to understand, I no longer have feelings towards her. Nor will I ever again. So long as I’m with you, there is no other for me… What’s with that face?”
Vanille had tears in her eyes, she hadn’t noticed them herself and shoved her face into Fangs chest. “You ok?” She stroked her head with one hand while the other stroked her back, trying to sooth her.
“I’m fine.” Her voice crackled slightly as she spoke. She lifted her head to stare Fang in the eyes. “You really feel that way towards me?”
Fang smiled softly at her, a faint blush claiming her own face. “Of course I do. I love you, Vanille, with every fiber of my being.” Vanilles face instantly became flushed and would have buried herself back into Fangs chest had it not of been for the hand lifting her chin up. Sure they’d kissed a lot over the course of their relationship thus far, but this felt so much more romantic to Vanille than any moment before. Her lids slid shut as their lips met in a tender kiss.
The short moment felt like an eternity, and Vanille could feel Fang was becoming anxious. The shaking of the hands that grasped at her hips, the way their kiss had turned into a heated exchange of tongues rolling over each other. Even she felt the intensity and had it of gone farther she would not have denied Fang anything. But, it all ended nearly as quickly as it began as Fang broke away, turning her face to the side. Both clearly out of breath.
“Fang…” Vanille managed to huff her name between breaths.
Fang shook her head, her breathing nearly back to a normal rhythm. “No, I’m sticking to what I said.. Not until after your hunt. I just feel that’s the right thing to do.”
Vanille giggled to herself and placed a kiss on Fangs cheek. “I know, and thank you. Your stubbornness amazes me though.” She hugged Fang tighter, ‘that’s right‘, Vanille remembered that within mere days, she would embark on her solo hunt to gain passage into adulthood. If she was lucky it would take no more than a week, but it had been known to take months for some. Entirely alone in the wild, only having her own skills and wits to rely on.
Fang could feel how Vanilles mood shifted, she knew the girl was nervous about her hunt, because she’d experienced the same trial herself. Fang had been very lucky on her hunt, as the wolf she had slain was actually hunting her after only two days from her departure of Oerba. It had ambushed her, but she came out as the victor in the end.
She knew there were no words she could offer to help Vanille prepare, and to offer to help the girl would have been highly offensive. It would almost be as if Fang was calling Vanille too weak for the task, when she knew well enough the she, while small and frail looking, was actually quite strong and could do anything she set her mind to. So instead of trying to say things that wouldn’t matter, she chose to hold Vanille, and support her while they still had time.
It took several minutes for Vanille to realize that they were still standing in the stables and that it was already dark out. She gently pulled herself from Fangs embrace, wiping the tears in her eyes away and shivering at the sudden chill in the air. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice how late it was.”
Fang gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her head. “Don’t apologize. I’m here for you when you need me, no matter what.” The mid-fall weather didn’t go unnoticed to Fang. “We should get back to the orphanage, don’t want an ear full from Matron.” Vanille nodded. They walked closely together, Fang with an arm wrapped around Vanilles shoulders and she with one around Fangs waist.
A late meal was shared between the two and then they retired to bed shortly after. Vanille would have restless nights for the next few days, her hunt weighing heavily on her mind. Fang would do what she could to comfort her.
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Friday
The day had finally arrived for Vanille to leave Oerba and make a successful hunt, alone. The girl was awake before even the sun shared it’s light. Carefully packing everything she should need on her venture. She felt calm in comparison to the previous days leading up to this one, a sense of determination set clearly in her mind. She made her way to the kitchen to prepare small snacks that, if consumed sparingly, would last her several days at least, saving her the trouble of hunting and gathering food.
Fang woke when the sun shared its first rays of light into her eyes. A low groan escaping her throat. She stretched her arms, one reaching over to Vanilles side of the bed. She felt awake immediately upon noticing that she was not there. “Vanille?!” ‘She wouldn’t leave without waking me, right?!’ Fang rushed out of the bedroom clothed in nothing but her black undergarments. She checked the bathrooms first, and then to the foyer. She caught the scent of cooking food and hurried to the kitchen, a deep sigh of relief calmed her from the sight of Vanille prepping food.
Vanille jumped and squeaked slightly from the feel of arms suddenly wrapping around her waist. “Found you.”
“Fang! Don’t sneak up on me like that…. Ah! It’s ruined….” Vanille held up the sandwich she was making, a mound of salt poured over the mayonnaise on one piece. She chucked it into the garbage with a sigh.
“Hey! I could have eaten that, it looked perfectly fine to me.”
“Fang, that’s disgusting, eating that much salt can’t be good for you.” Fang chuckled and nuzzled Vanilles head. While she didn’t mind the distraction, having Fang clinging to her this way was making it difficult to finish making her foods. The older girl could tell she was in the way so after placing a gentle kiss atop Vanilles head she released her hold and stepped to the side to watch. Vanille tossed a glance at her. “Fang! You’re half naked you know.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that fact. I actually thought you left without waking me, so I kind of skipped the dressing part so I could find you.” Vanille had packed the last of her food items then turned to Fang, hands on her hips.
“And what would you have done if I had left, chase me through the streets like that?” She raised an eyebrow.
Fang scratched the back of her head, shrugging it off with a chuckle, causing Vanille to sigh. “So uh, how’s your packing coming along?” Vanille placed a finger under her chin as she ran through the checklist in her head, humming as she did so.
“Hmm. I should have everything set now. Just need to get it all together in one place.” Fang nodded and headed towards the hallway.
“I’ll be right back Vanille.” She watched Fangs back disappear behind a corner, her head tilted to the side slightly. She picked up the small satchel that was now filled with her food and brought it to the foyer, carefully packing it into the larger bag that held everything else. She double checked everything, nothing was out of place. She strapped her old Bind Rod to her belt and leaned against the wall, waiting for Fang to return.
It wasn’t a minute later that the older girl came back with a large box in hand, which Vanille eyed curiously. “Here, consider it an early birthday present.” She set the box on the ground in front of Vanille.
“You really didn’t have to get me anything you know.” She bent down to start picking at the ropes that held it shut.
“I figured you’d say that. But I think you’ll find it useful on your hunt.” Fang waited in anticipation while Vanille plucked off the last few ropes. She could see how the girls hands stopped mid motion, fingers twitching slightly when she finally saw what was inside, her green eyes wide with awe.
“Fang… This is…” Vanille was blown away by the white bind rod that rest in the box. Carefully reaching in and pulling it out, it was a bit heavier than her old one, but light enough to wield. It was folded into a compact form, which only took her a moment to figure out how to open it. The tanned leather straps that wrapped the handle felt smooth under hand, and the white finish with four gold tipped hooks amazed her. She had no words to express her gratitude, sure she’d known her old one was worn and probably wouldn’t last much longer, but to receive one of this caliber was unexpected.
Vanille finally shook out of her daze and stood up to look Fang in the face. “How in the world did you afford something like this?”
Fang grinned at her. “I’ve been saving up for a while. Hunts can bring a good income you know. I knew you needed a new one, and I wouldn’t have felt okay with letting you leave with a weapon that may break while you’re out there on your own. You do like it I hope?” She could see the water building in Vanilles emerald eyes.
Vanille all but leapt at Fang, hugging the taller girl tightly. “I love it. Thank you.” Fang smiled softly, returning the embrace.
They could have stood there all day just holding each other, but the sound of the clock striking 9am broke the moment. It was time for her to go, waiting later would mean less day light to travel by. Vanille slowly backed out of the embrace and swapped her old rod for the new one, leaving the old one with Fang. She heaved her large bag onto her back, it was indeed heavy, but not so much that she couldn’t handle it.
“It’s time Fang.” Vanille felt anxious, but a firm squeeze by Fang on her shoulder eased her mind and she smiled at the taller girl. Fang handed Vanille a thick coat.
“Don’t forget that, it’s going to be getting colder soon.” Vanille nodded and rolled the furry leather, then had Fang tie it to the top of her backpack.
Fang escorted Vanille to the edge of Oerba, pulling the girl into a tight hug, which was returned in kind. Vanille stood on her toes to plant a firm, final kiss on Fangs lips, savoring the feel and taste. Then after pulling away, both shared a smile.
“See you later, Fang.”
“Mm. Have a safe trip. I’ll be waiting for you.” Fang gently gripped her arm, a faint blush on her face. “I love you, Vanille.” A blush rose to her cheeks as well.
“I love you too, Fang.” Vanille started slowly walking away backwards, her hand trailing down Fangs arm until finally their fingers slipped away from each other. A last smile, and Vanille turned, walking strongly into the wild, alone.
Fang continued to watch until she could no longer see her. A sigh escaped her lips as she stretched. “Well, guess I have my own work to do while your gone.” Fang chuckled to herself, she indeed had many things to do, only hoping that they would be finished in time for the girls return. One final look to the horizon that Vanille vanished into before turning away to set about doing her own tasks.
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3 Months later
Fang hissed as a needle repeatedly stabbed into her arm, black ink staining deeply into her skin. She had been debating on getting a tattoo for a while now, and had finally decided on a design and went for it. It hadn’t hurt too bad at first, but after sitting under the needle for over 2 hours now, the pain was becoming more intense.
“Hang in there a bit longer Fang, we’re just about finished.” Fang nodded, her eyes closing to calm herself. Her thoughts drifted to Vanille and the pain was forgotten. To say the least, she was worried about her, but she kept her thoughts positive, she knew she’d come back alright.
Another fifteen minutes went by and finally the tattoo was done. “There we go, all finished.” The man gently wiped the area clean of any stray ink or blood. Fang looked it over in a mirror.
“Looks great, thanks Jin.” He nodded and taped a white gauze over it.
“Keep that on there fer a day or two and make sure to keep it clean. It’s going to swell pretty good and scab a bit, but it’ll clear up within days.” Fang nodded and paid her fee. “You goin’ to work on that project o’ yours again today?”
“Yes, I’ll be going straight there.” She made her way to the door.
“Present for your girlfriend, Vanille, was it?”
“You could say that.”
“Heard she been gone on her hunt fer a good while now, you reckon she fairing well out there?” Fangs stopped in the doorway, turning her head to the side to respond.
“She may be small and look frail, but she’s got a strong will and good head on her shoulders, I have faith in her.” With that she bid him farewell and was on her way.
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Vanille climbed over a large fallen tree, the extra weight from her pack causing a heavier thud on landing than she’d like. It had taken nearly three months to find the target she’d been looking for and has been trailing her prey for over a week now, but it was always a step ahead of her. The tracks were getting fresher every day so it was only a matter of time. Time however was running out as the season was changing fast, she knew her target would soon go into hibernation and its trail would be lost.
The tracks today looked particularly fresh and oddly erratic as it changed directions constantly. A few more yards and she emerged from the forest into an open field with mountains towering high to her right. She lowered herself to the ground as she caught sight of movement by some boulders in the distance. She set her belongings down into a pile by the tree line and pulled out a small pair of binoculars, adjusting the sight until the creature was in focus, a sense of excitement rushed over her.
“There you are” she whispered to herself. She eyed the large brown bear, it was actually bigger than she’d thought it would be, probably a good 18-20 feet from nose to rear, definitely a behemoth of a bear. She put away the binoculars and pulled out a carving knife, attaching its case to her belt and latching it in. “I can do this.” She thought of Fang for a brief moment whilst psyching herself up, then began to slowly approach it.
Lucky for her, its head was down, digging at a hole in the ground for some prey. She grasped the handle of her bind rod, releasing it from its holster and flicking it to its full length. She managed to get within about 40 yards of the bear, then her luck ran out as the wind changed directions. Indeed the bear immediately caught a whiff of her scent and its head snapped up from the hole, its dark eyes glaring at her.
She stood still, gathering her thoughts for the brief moment she had before the bear made a charge at her, it was obviously intent on making her an easy meal. The distance between them was closing fast and Vanille jumped into action. She cast her rods lines at it, but they were evaded and the lines recoiled back to their default position. It was at 13 yards now and made a dead stop, rising up on its hind legs to display its full height, towering above her, and roared, but she did not back down.
She gave the bind rod a second shot, but this time its massive arms deflected the lines, again they retracted. She huffed and decided on a different approach.
“Fire!” She tossed a handful of firecrackers from her satchel to one side, her spell setting them ablaze and into a flurry of ear piercing explosions. It was enough to distract it for a split second, but it was all she needed. She hurled her lines at it once again, this time all four made contact, each wrapping tightly around the bear, hooks digging into flesh. One tying the legs together, and another on the arms, the third squeezed its torso while the fourth tightly kept its mouth closed.
It struggled for a moment, but the lines were strong and cut into it more deeply with every movement. She didn’t want to drag this out and make it painful, so she pulled the lines taught and with a strong tug the bear came down with a heavy thud. It whined in pain, Vanille felt a brief pang of guilt, but shoved the feeling aside. She had to do this. Cautiously she approached it, stopping by its massive head.
“I’m sorry.” She held her hand out over it. “Death!” There was a flash of blackness, a snap and then silence. Effectively putting it out of its misery in an instant. Her feeling of accomplishment was flooded by the tears that ran down her face as she knelt down hugged the beast.
“I’m so sorry. I thank you. Your death will not be in vain.” She was not happy to have the ability of Death, her current skill also required it be delivered at point blank to have any effect, which was not always successful.
She took a moment to calm herself, wiping the tears from her face as she set about to gutting the animal. Fang had taught her the process before, but actually performing it herself was difficult and took all she had to keep focus.
It took a while, but it was finally done. All of the entrails had been discarded, leaving nothing but hide, meat and bone. She wiped the sweat off her brow, looking back in the direction that would take her home. “At least this cold will keep its meat fresh until I get back to Oerba.” There were flakes of snow flitting about now, and it was beginning to get dark.
With the aide of a wind spell, she hauled the carcass into the forest and located a spot to make camp for the evening. At first light she would begin her trek back home. “Hmm, with all the zigzagging I did to get out here… it should only take a week if I make a straight shot back.” She examined her small map which she’d constantly updated with her position. She nodded to herself about her next course of action, then set up a fire to warm her camp.
Vanille helped herself to some meat from her quarry, it was a bit tough and had no seasonings, but it was edible and would provide vital energy.
The snow was coming down harder now. Vanille pulled her coat and blanket tightly around her, combined with the flame, she was kept warm well enough. “Fang…” was her final thought before falling into sleep.
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8 days later
Fang was awake early today, as she had promised to help tend the stables. It wasn’t exactly her job of choice, but it helped keep her mind busy, which recently was becoming more troubled over Vanille’s long absence.
She set down a small bale of hay and feed, then backed away as the hungry animals rushed in. She shivered at the biting breeze that rushed past her skin, she had chosen not to wear a coat out this morning, ‘great idea.’
She was about to set about her next task of cleaning the stalls when she’d heard a horn blowing, it was a sound she knew well. A custom of Oerbas was for the watchmen to signal the return of someone from their hunt with the horn of a Behemoth, it emitted a unique sound, deep, but smooth.
Fang made a bolt for the main entrance, ignoring the stinging cold. As she rounded the last building in her way she could see a small gathering of people already building up, all anxious to welcome the hunter home. None however were expecting the site they saw. As Fang excused herself past the others, stopping at the amazing spectacle.
Vanille took her final steps into the village, her clothes partially ripped in some places, dirt and dried blood splotched all over. She looked utterly exhausted as she was heaving for air, her mana completely tapped from using the wind spell to help the haul, and more amazing than anything was the beast of a bear that now rest on the ground behind her.
Had she of had the breath or energy she would have leapt into Fangs arms, but found all she could do was stand hunched over, hands resting on her knees as she struggled to keep herself upright, even a smile was hard to manage.
Fang calmly approached her, gently grasping her shoulders to help the girl stand straight. Her eyes giving her a quick examination, thankful that none of the blood on her body was her own. She wanted to keep her cool in front of all these people, but her emotions won out. She pulled Vanille into a tight hug, even her pride couldn’t hold back the tears in her eyes as she was just too happy to have Vanille back home.
“I was really worried about you, you know.” Vanille clutched at Fangs clothes, she could only manage a nod in reply, tears easily flowing from her own eyes. “I can’t believe you killed a fucking bear, of all things to pick, and at this time of year.” Vanille wanted to reply, but was having a hard time keeping her eyes open, the warmth emitting from Fang was all too comfortable.
“Vanille?” She’d passed out in her arms. The Shaman was close by and gave Vanille a quick look over, checking her vitals.
“Mm. Seems to be just exhaustion, it looks like she hasn‘t slept for a day or two. Her mana is completely spent as well, so an elixir when she wakes should do the trick.”
Fang looked down at the girl worried and nodded at the Shamans directions. “I’m going to take her home now, and get her warmed up.” She picked the girl up bridal style and carried her home. A few other villagers took care of the bears carcass, skinning it and carving the meat up. Tonight, Oerba would throw a party with a feast in honor of Vanilles successful hunt.
Fang got them home within minutes and opened the bedroom door. She was about to set Vanille onto the bed when the girl stirred and awoke in her arms. Her eyes were droopy and a little bloodshot. Vanille reached a hand up and cupped Fangs face. “Am I dreaming?” Fang smiled warmly at her.
“If you are, I hope you don’t wake up, because I don‘t want you leaving my side again.” Vanille giggle softly, and pinched Fangs cheek, slightly stretching her face out, then released it a moment later, to which Fang chuckled at. She went to lay her down again but Vanille stopped her.
“Wait! I’m filthy, I’ll dirty up the… bed? Wait, where are we?” Vanille finally noticed that they weren’t in their orphanage dorm but an actual bedroom with a large bed.
Fang chuckled and carried Vanille out into the living room. “This, would happen to be our new home. That is of course, if you think you can stand to live with someone like me.”
“Huh?!” Vanille felt wide awake suddenly and had Fang put her on her feet, she wobbled a little so Fang kept a hand firmly on her shoulder. “Okay, so.. You got a house? For us?”
Fang scratched the back of her head. “Well, I actually built this place from the ground up, with a little help of course. I wanted to surprise you with it when you returned… It’s not much, just this living space, the one bedroom and a bathroom. I hope you’re not mad I did this without asking you first.” She looked sheepishly at Vanille, the shorter girl just stared at her wide eyed.
Vanilles face softened and she hugged Fang. “I’m not mad, but I am a bit overwhelmed. It looks amazing, and you building it yourself is amazing.”
Fang laughed. “Sorry, I guess it is a bit to take in right now.” Vanille nodded and took to looking around the living area. “I’m going to go run you a warm bath, I love you, but you do reek something fierce.” She gave the girl a grin and disappeared in the bathroom.
Vanille was left to sigh over the state she was in, but she knew it was true, she smelled and felt filthy. She noticed her boots were still on, she’d have to get new ones, as these were trashed. She slipped them off, hissing as they rubbed the blisters on her feet, then placed them by the door to be discarded later.
She was examining the cupboards when Fang came back into the room. “Bath’s ready.” Fang showed her to the bathroom and handed her a toothbrush. “Figured you’d want this as well.” She took it gratefully and immediately went about brushing her teeth, ridding herself of any foul tastes.
“Ah, that’s much better.” She offered Fang a sleepy kiss which was returned in kind. She walked towards the tub and began to undress for her bath, then noticed how Fang was still standing in the open doorway, watching her. She tossed a scowl over her shoulder at the taller girl. “No peeking!”
Fang huffed and turned her back, holding her hands behind her head. “No fun at all.” Vanille made sure she wasn’t watching and finished undressing. Fang could hear her whimper while she was climbing into the hot water. “Not too hot is it?” She accidentally turned her head to the side and caught a glimpse of Vanilles rear, immediately turning back around to hide the blush on her face.
“No, it’s fine. It just stings my feet a little.” She let out a big sigh as her whole body submerged into the water. “Feels so good… I’d forgotten what a bath feels like. You can turn around now.” She closed her eyes as she dunked her head under the water once, then sat back up and leaned against the tub.
Fang turned and leaned against the doorframe, eyes scanning Vanilles face. “I put some herbs in there that should help heal any scratches you may have gotten and should relax your muscles as well.”
“Mm,” Vanille hummed in reply.
“You want some soup or something? Or just want to wait until the ceremony tonight? Still got a good 4 hours until then.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll wait. A nap sounds nice after this.”
“Alright. Well, while you finish up in there, I’m going to go tidy up the place.” There wasn’t really anything to clean, but Fang couldn’t keep standing there, watching her bathe. Vanille nodded and proceeded to clean herself.
Fang was relaxing on the sofa when Vanille came out, wearing nothing but a towel around her body. “Hey Fang, I don’t suppose you have any of my clothes around, would you?” Fang peered out of one closed one, fighting hard to hide a grin as she stared at the half nude girl.
“Ya, I brought all your clothes here from the orphanage, they’ll be in the bedroom closet, on the right side.” She watched Vanilles back until she disappeared into the bedroom. This was driving her crazy, but she wasn’t going to give in, ‘not yet.’
Fang gave her a few minutes, then peeked into the bedroom. “You find them?” Vanille walked out of the closet now fully clothed.
“Mhm. It feels nice to have clean clothes on.” Vanille plopped herself down onto the bed, eyeing Fang from her now horizontal position. She patted a spot next her. Fang looked thoughtful about the idea for a moment.
“Ah, one sec, I almost forgot.” Vanille pouted as Fang went back to the living room, but she returned within seconds. “Here, drink this before you sleep at least.” She handed her a vile of blue elixir. Vanille didn’t really enjoy the things, but recovering her mana was vital, so she accepted and drank it down with a disgusted face, like a kid taking medicine that was bitter.
“Bleh, they could at least fix how these things taste.” Fang chuckled and discarded the now empty vile. She then crawled herself onto the bed and was about to lay down next to Vanille when the girl screamed out.
“What the hell is that?!” Fang was looking around the room.
“Huh? What the hell is what?” Vanille poked her finger at Fangs shoulder, prodding the black mark.
“Ow, that would happen to still be sensitive, and it’s just a tattoo.” Vanille stopped poking at it and brought the arm close enough to examine the design.
“What made you want a tattoo?” Fang rested against her other arm against the bed while she thought about that, then shrugged.
“I just wanted one, and I liked the design. I did a lot of things to try and keep myself busy, because when I wasn’t busy I was thinking about you and driving myself insane really.” Vanille looked up at her, an apologetic look on her face.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to be gone for so long but…” Fang silenced her with a finger on her lips.
“You’re always so fast to go apologizing when you don’t need to. I know you did your best, and all that matters now is that you’re back home.” She pulled Vanille down next to her and kissed away a single tear that had ran down the girls cheek.
Vanille nuzzled into Fangs neck and placed a firm kiss over the pulse there. “I’m glad to be back home, with you Fang. It was really lonely out there, but you were always in my thoughts, so I stayed strong.” Her words were fading as sleep was lulling her in, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to fight it. “Fang…”
“Hmm?” She looked down to see Vanille had fallen asleep. A tender smile tugged on her lips, it was a relief to see her resting peacefully. She glanced to the clock, ‘she’ll get at least a 2 hour nap.’ She set an alarm on the clock with her free hand, as Vanille was using her other arm as a pillow now. Fang relaxed next to her once that was done, wrapping her arm around her and pulling their bodies closer, then closed her eyes and soon found herself falling into sleep as well.
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Fang awoke to the annoying buzz of the alarm clock, instantly silencing the machine. She wasn’t expecting to actually fall asleep. Vanille was usually a light sleeper, but the alarm didn’t make her budge. Fang almost felt guilty with the task of needing to wake the girl, but she couldn’t let her miss her own ceremony.
“Vanille..” her voice came out soft but loud enough. She got no reaction even after calling her name out a few more times. She tried shaking her at the shoulder, causing the girl to groan in protest. “Alright then…” Fang moistened her lips and started kissing all over Vanilles face.
“Cut it out Fang… we can play later...” She still wasn’t clearly awake, but she shoved a hand against Fangs face, pushing her away. Fang kept making the effort to wake her by poking and prodding her. Vanille finally got fed up with the antics and all but tackled Fang onto the bed, making the girls stomach into a seat, hands holding both arms down.
Fang was actually taken off guard by the move and was having a hard time recovering. Vanilles eyes were closing again and she head started to droop down as she started to fall asleep again. “Oh no you don’t!” Fang took advantage and gently flipped Vanille, effectively switching their positions. “Sorry hun, but you have got to get up, one way or the other.”
Vanille broke into an outburst of yelling and laughing when Fang started an onslaught of tickling. “Fang… stop… I’m up… already!” The tickling ceased and she caught her breath.
“Are you sure? Because I’d be happy to continue.” Vanille struggled beneath her, which didn’t help Fangs changing mood at all.
“No, please don’t. I’m really awake, ok?” Fang had became oddly quiet so Vanille looked her in the face. “Fang?” It felt like her stomach became knotted from the way Fang was looking at her, almost like she was going to attack her at any moment.
Fang clenched her teeth, this was hard. She didn’t know why so suddenly this feeling rose up in her, but it was proving difficult to get rid of it. She felt her body leaning forward without thinking. Her upper body now supported by her elbows that rest on either side of Vanille, their faces mere inches apart.
Vanille could feel Fangs breath on her face, she could also feel the heat rushing through her body. She could tell Fang was holding back, they both knew that right now wasn’t a good time for this. The moment felt like waiting for a ticking bomb to explode, but there was no bomb, instead, the irritating sound of the alarm went off, effectively shaking them both out of their daze.
Fang shook her head, cursing loudly as she got up and turned off the alarm. She headed for the doorway with a hand scratching the back of her head. “Sorry, Vanille.. We should get going soon.” Vanille watched as she disappeared into the bathroom and could here the faucet turn on, followed by the sound of splashing water. She felt a little disappointed but shook her thoughts and got up. They now only had a few minutes to make it to the central square for the final part in the process towards Vanilles adulthood, one she wasn’t particularly looking forward to.
Fang gave her a new pair of boots that she’d gotten for her, she accepted them with glee. Neither could make eye contact with the other, for the moment they both felt a little awkward, but even so they still held hands as they rushed along the streets.
They were a few minutes late but no one seemed to mind. There was a large bonfire in the middle, and a table filled with different foods not far away. The Shaman came to great them. Vanille and Fang shared a quick smile before the old man escorted her to see the Elder. Fang followed loosely behind, watching as everyone around danced and mingled.
The Elder silenced the party to deliver a speech, one which Fang paid no attention too, because he said pretty much the same thing about everyone upon successfully completing their hunt.
Vanille felt a little nervous with everyone’s eyes on her. Then finally when the Elder finished, Shaman approached her with a goblet, handing it to her slowly. This was the final act, the final step into adulthood, she hid her disgust as she looked at the red liquid within. It was the very blood that came from her own kill. She took a deep breath, and gulped it all down as quickly as she could. There was a lot of cheering from the crowd as she handed the empty goblet back to Shaman.
The Elder re-commenced the celebration and the loud music erupted back to life. Fang walked over to Vanille and patted the girls back. She could see the girl was fighting to keep down what she’d just drank.
“Here, try some of this, I remember it helped me when I had to do that.” Vanille happily took it without asking what it was. She filled her mouth with it before gulping it all down. “That get the taste out at least?”
Vanille nodded. “Thank you. That was just vile.”
Fang chuckled. “Yes, it’s definitely not an enjoyable ceremony, but at least it’s over now. How about we go get some food?”
“That sounds great, I’m starving.” She went to walk towards the buffet, but was held back and then pulled against Fang. The taller girl placed a firm kiss on her lips which she returned in kind. It was a quick, almost innocent kiss, and shortly after the two made their way to the buffet.
A while later, Fang gawked at her girlfriend as she finally finished eating. She had never seen the girl eat so much food in one sitting. “Not hungry are we?” Vanille patted her full stomach with a pleased smile.
“Not anymore, I did say I was starving didn’t I?” Fang chuckled.
The rest of the night wasn’t too eventful, the two had chatted with their friends, danced together and just had a good time. Vanille had just picked up her third glass of alcohol when Fang found her, then promptly snatched the glass away from her. “No more alcohol for you Missy.”
“Why not?! Not like I’m drunk.” She tried to snatch to glass back, but Fangs height gave her an advantage. She was pressing the whole of her body against Fang, standing on her toes as she tried to reach the glass that was held above her head. “Come ooooon Fang.” Vanille stumbled a little over her footing, causing one of her legs to press into Fangs crotch. This of course caught her off guard, she’d barely contained a grunt from the impact, but not enough to keep Vanille from hearing.
Vanille took advantage of the situation and snatched the glass back, quickly gulping down the contents. Fang sighed. “You’re going to be piss drunk by the end of the night if you keep drinking at this rate, or sick, or both.” Vanille set her glass down and came back to Fang, wrapping her arms around her neck and pulling them close together.
“I won’t. I’m not going to drink anymore, those do taste pretty good though.” Fangs arms were around her waist. Vanille was swaying to the slow song that was playing so she followed the girls movements, which were becoming a little uncoordinated.
“You drank three Moogle bombs over the past hour, I’m surprised you’re not tumbling around in a stupor by now.” Vanille just giggled into her chest, the effects of the alcohol were catching up to her as she stumbled more over the next few minutes. “Guess I spoke too soon.”
Vanille felt fuzzy headed, like falling into a hazy dream. She heard her name and lazily tilted her head up towards Fangs voice, it sounded unclear. She didn’t even notice herself grinning up at her girlfriend. She also didn’t notice her body moving on its own until she had her lips mashed onto Fangs. Her surroundings forgotten, and the fact that people were staring as her tongue demanded entry into Fangs mouth.
Fang was taken off guard with Vanilles intoxicated actions, but allowed herself to indulge in the heated kiss that was offered to her. It didn’t last long however, as she felt one of the girls legs sliding higher between her own, it was time to stop it. She gently shoved Vanille away at arms length, causing the shorter girl to emit a whining sound in her throat. Fang caught her breath a moment.
“Look Vanille, you’re drunk, and we shouldn’t be going that far, especially in public.”
“I ‘m not… drnk, and noooo ones.. watshing us.” She slurred in protest, but Fang kept her firmly at arms length while shaking her head. She pouted and crossed her arms. “Fne, I dn’t wan choo ‘ave sex anway.”
“Fine by me, I wouldn’t have when you’re drunk anyway.” This was starting to get comical in Fangs mind. “Look, it’s getting late, so how about we just head home.” Vanille looked thoughtful. “I’ll make some hot chocolate.” The shorter girl smiled brightly with a nod.
Fang excused them both from the party and they made their way back to their home. She unlocked the door and guided a stumbling Vanille in, trying to make sure the girl didn’t trip over her feet. After helping her to the sofa she went over to the kitchenette and started heating a pot of water. Vanille was leaning forward, using her arms as support as she swayed herself from side to side, a goofy smile on face.
While she was a little frustrated by the situation, Fang couldn’t help but be amused by Vanilles behavior, and she still maintained that cuteness she loved. She finished fixing the drinks and sat herself next to Vanille. “Be careful with this, it’s still a bit hot.” The girl had at least recovered enough of her wits to comprehend what she was told, and took the warm mug slowly.
Fang drank hers down quickly, while Vanille sipped hers slowly. Fang relaxed against the sofa and watched as her girlfriend finished the hot liquid. She licked her lips after the last drop and glanced over her shoulder at Fang. “Don’t want another one, do you?” She shook her head and set her mug on the table then sat back against Fang.
They sat there like that for a while, just enjoying the peaceful moment together. After a bit Vanille started to fidget. “Something wrong?” She started to get up and Fang watched as she wobbled a little on her feet.
“Bathroom.” She was still tipsy and was using the counter as support.
“Want some help?” Vanille shook her head.
“I can manage this much.” She found her way to the bathroom and shut the door.
Fang cleaned the dirty mugs and put them back in the cupboard. It had been a few minutes and Vanille hadn’t come out yet, so she walked to the door and gave a knock. “You alright in there?”
“I’m fine, I’ll be out in a minute.” Fang could hear the sink running as she walked to the closet. She removed her clothes down to her black undies, tossing the dirtied garments into a basket.
Vanille walked out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, and glanced around for Fang. “Fang?”
Fang walked out of the closet upon hearing her name. “Ya?” She noticed how Vanille was eyeing her at that moment as she sat herself down on one side of the bed. “Something wrong?” The growing blush on the girls face was a sight Fang had missed over the past months.
Vanille shook her head a bit faster than she should have, as it made her a little dizzy. “Nothing’s wrong, I think I did drink a little too much though.” She approached the bed side opposite of Fang and sat down.
“Well, have to learn your limits somehow I guess.” Vanille was glancing at Fang over her shoulder as she lectured her. The direction of her eyes didn’t go unnoticed.
“See something you like?” Vanille hadn’t even noticed herself staring and upon being caught she turned away again. Fang sighed softly and placed a gentle hand on the girls back, the initial contact had made the girl almost leap out of her skin with a squeak. “Relax Vanille.” She pulled the girl against her and could feel how her whole frame was shivering. “You’re way too tense right now.”
Vanille took a moment to calm herself down, she was working herself up unintentionally. She felt Fangs hands kneading and massaging at her shoulders, a sigh escaping her lips as she relaxed. “Sorry… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Always apologizing, really now. You‘ve got to be exhausted, that should be plenty reason to be off edge.” She was working her way lower down Vanilles back now, massaging at any knots along the way.
Vanille became silent and offered no more words to the conversation. Fang leant over to see her face. Vanilles eyes were closed, mouth open slightly with steady breaths. Fang silently chuckled to herself and slowly laid Vanille down, pulling the blanket over her. She placed a kiss on her forehead. “Night love.” She spoke softly enough to not wake her.
Vanille was half curled into a ball as Fang slid herself beneath the blankets, and upon feeling the warmth from Fang’s body she relaxed and snuggled against her. Fang wrapped an arm around her waist, fingers tracing whimsical patterns across the girls back, only stopping when she fell asleep.
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Author’s Note: Gawww!! Dangit, this was supposed to be the final chapter, but after getting near the 15 page mark, I decided I’m going to have to extend this into one final chapter, it probably won’t be but a few pages long (mostly smut content, so feel free to skip out on it if you have no interest in that, lol!). So ya.. I’ll try to have that out nice and quick like for those that have been anticipating such a chapter. XD I reread this once, so I apologize for any errors that I may have missed… Til next time~